Shloka 45
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
नास्य यज्ञकृतो देवा ईहन्ते नेतरे जना: । ततः सर्वेषु वर्णेषु श्रद्धायज्ञो विधीयते,इस मानसिक यज्ञ करनेवाले यजमानके यज्ञमें देवता और मनुष्य सभी भाग ग्रहण करनेकी अभिलाषा रखते हैं; क्योंकि उसका यज्ञ श्रद्धाके कारण परम पवित्र होता है; अतः श्रद्धाप्रधान यज्ञ करनेका अधिकार सभी वर्णोंको प्राप्त है
nāsya yajñakṛto devā īhante netare janāḥ | tataḥ sarveṣu varṇeṣu śraddhāyajño vidhīyate |
Bhīṣma said: The gods do not seek a share in the sacrifice of one who performs no sacrifice, nor do other people. Therefore, in all social orders, the sacrifice grounded in faith is enjoined—because a rite performed with sincere śraddhā becomes supremely purifying, drawing the participation and goodwill of both divine and human beings. Hence, the right to perform a faith-centered (inner) sacrifice belongs to all varṇas.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
That the true sanctity of yajña lies in śraddhā (reverent, sincere intention). A faith-centered sacrifice is supremely purifying and is therefore prescribed for all varṇas, emphasizing inner disposition over mere external ritual.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma after the war. Here he explains why sacrifices rooted in śraddhā attract divine and human participation and why such a form of yajña is universally applicable across social orders.